Menu

Depression and Humor: Farewell Robin Williams

As most of you have already heard, Robin Williams has allegedly killed himself after battling depression and substance abuse for a long time. Robin Williams was a comedic genius, a master of faces and characters before Jim Carey. He is a part of my childhood and early adult life. I would watch him on talk shows with Johnny Cash and David Letterman and think, “Wow, this guy is neurotic,” and he reminded me of myself. He seemed like this person who really enjoyed making people feel good and loved children.

Like many great comedians, they have the great ability to play melancholy characters so brilliantly. From a person who has battled depression since I was six years old, I can say that humor is the best medicine for the soul. And the two times that I have stood in front of a large crowd and put on an impromptu performance, the laughter and tears from people was the best high I’ve experienced. Not that I’ve done drugs. Except for weed, but that’s not a drug. It’s an herb. 🙂 I have also made people angry by cracking a joke at inappropriate times. What I’m saying is, “Screw you. Don’t tell me what to do.”

While his comedic performances in Mork and Mindy, Mrs. Doubtfire and Patch Adams brought me warm feelings and joy, his serious roles is what moved me the most. What Dreams May Come is one of my all-time favorite movies. It’s a film about a man’s wife who committed suicide and his journey to find her again. For a year, I watched this film once a month and I still own it on VHS.

Another film I enjoyed greatly and watched multiple times is One Hour Photo:

Robin Williams, who once made me cry so much during these films and again today, but now I will watch some old stand-up routines and laugh.